Should I file taxes as a college student with no income?
I'm 33 and currently attending community college part-time (just one class this semester), but I don't have a job or any income to report. I've been wondering if I'm still required to file taxes or not. Last year I didn't take any classes at all, and I haven't filed taxes in probably 3 years since I haven't been working. Should I be filing something anyway? Also, I don't have health insurance if that matters for tax purposes. I'm in Florida if state taxes are different. Just trying to make sure I'm not breaking any rules or missing out on anything!
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Zainab Mahmoud
Good question! The requirement to file taxes is primarily based on your income, not your student status or age. If you have no income at all, you generally aren't required to file a federal tax return. The IRS has minimum income thresholds that trigger filing requirements. For a single person under 65 in the 2024 tax year (for taxes filed in 2025), you'd need to have earned at least $13,850 in income to be required to file. However, there are a few situations where you might want to file even with no income: - If you had any federal income tax withheld (which doesn't sound like your case) - If you qualify for refundable tax credits like the American Opportunity Credit for education expenses - If you need to provide proof of income (or lack thereof) for financial aid or other programs As for health insurance - the federal penalty for not having coverage (the "individual mandate") was reduced to $0 starting in 2019, so there's no federal tax penalty for being uninsured anymore.
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Ava Williams
•Thanks for explaining that! Quick question - I paid for my class out of pocket last semester (about $400). Would it be worth filing to try to get some of that back through education credits? Also, does taking just one class even qualify for education credits?
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Zainab Mahmoud
•You might indeed benefit from filing! The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) can provide up to $2,500 per eligible student, and up to $1,000 of this is refundable - meaning you could get money back even without owing taxes. For this particular credit, you need to be enrolled at least half-time in a degree program, so one class might not qualify you for the AOTC. However, there's also the Lifetime Learning Credit, which has no enrollment requirement - you can claim it even for a single class. This credit is worth up to 20% of the first $10,000 in qualified education expenses (max $2,000), though it's non-refundable, meaning it can only reduce taxes you owe to zero, not generate a refund if you don't owe taxes.
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Raj Gupta
After spending hours on the phone trying to figure out my own tax situation as a student, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was actually super helpful. You can upload your documents or just ask questions directly about your situation. I uploaded my tuition statement and asked if I should file with no income and it gave me a really clear answer specific to my situation. The nice thing is it's like having an expert walk you through everything without the confusing IRS language. It told me I wasn't required to file but showed me how I could benefit from education credits even with low income.
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Lena Müller
•Does it actually work for specific questions like this? I'm in a similar situation but I had a part-time job for like 2 months last year. Would it help me figure out if those education credits are worth the hassle of filing?
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TechNinja
•Sounds interesting but how is this different from just using TurboTax or something? I'm always skeptical of new tax tools because I don't want to miss anything important or get audited.
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Raj Gupta
•It absolutely works for specific situations. I had almost the same question - worked just a few months last year with minimal income. It analyzed my situation and showed me I could get almost all my withholding back plus part of my education expenses through credits. For your second question, the main difference from TurboTax is you can ask questions upfront before going through the whole filing process. It's more like having a conversation with a tax expert who can explain if filing makes sense in your situation rather than just walking through forms. I still used regular tax software to actually file, but knew exactly what I was eligible for first.
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Lena Müller
Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai and it was seriously helpful! I uploaded my 1098-T from my community college and explained my situation with very little income. It showed me that I qualified for the Lifetime Learning Credit even though I'm only taking one class. I was able to get back about $120 on the $600 I spent on tuition last semester, even though I only made around $2,400 total last year. Definitely worth filing! The explanation it gave me made it super clear what forms I needed and which credit to claim.
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Keisha Thompson
Not directly related to filing, but if you need to sort out any issues with past years or have questions about your specific situation, getting through to the IRS is a nightmare right now. I spent 3 weeks trying to get someone on the phone. Eventually used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it got me through to an actual human at the IRS in less than 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent confirmed that I didn't need to file for the years I was a full-time student with no income, but recommended filing for the year I had a summer job to get my withholding back. Would have never gotten this info without finally reaching them.
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Paolo Bianchi
•Wait how does this even work? Does it just call the IRS for you? I'm confused about how this would be any different than me calling myself.
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Yara Assad
•Sounds like a scam tbh. The IRS is a government agency, there's no "skip the line" service that's legitimate. You just have to keep calling like everyone else.
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Keisha Thompson
•It doesn't call for you - it navigates the phone tree and waits on hold on your behalf. Once an actual IRS agent picks up, it calls your phone and connects you directly to the agent. The difference is you don't have to sit there listening to hold music for hours. It's definitely legitimate. It doesn't access any of your personal information or pretend to be you - it's just a service that waits on hold so you don't have to. The IRS has even acknowledged these services exist. Nothing sketchy about it, just a time-saver. When you're trying to clarify something simple but important like filing requirements, it's worth not wasting a whole day on hold.
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Yara Assad
Ok I need to eat my words. I was the skeptic above who thought this Claimyr thing was a scam. After trying for TWO DAYS to reach the IRS about my transcript (needed for financial aid verification), I gave in and tried it. Got connected to an IRS agent in 35 minutes without having to sit there monitoring my phone. The agent helped me confirm that for the two years I wasn't working while in school, I didn't need to file returns - exactly what I needed to know for my financial aid application. So yeah, it's legit and saved me a massive headache. Sorry for doubting!
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Olivia Clark
Just to add another perspective - I'm a student who didn't file for 2 years when I wasn't working. When I got a part-time job and filed this year, I had no issues at all. The IRS doesn't expect returns from people with no income. BUT - check your school's financial aid requirements! My university required a "verification of non-filing" letter from the IRS for financial aid eligibility. It's a simple form but it confirms you weren't required to file. Might be worth looking into if you're receiving any financial aid.
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Javier Morales
•How do you get that verification letter? Is it something you can do online or do you have to call them?
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Olivia Clark
•You request it by submitting Form 4506-T to the IRS. Mark box 7 on the form which specifically requests the verification of non-filing letter. You can mail it in or fax it. Some schools will accept alternative documentation if you can't get the letter for some reason, like a signed statement certifying you didn't file. Check with your financial aid office about their specific requirements, as they can vary between schools.
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Natasha Petrov
Random question - are there any benefits to filing taxes as a student even with no income? I heard something about it helping with credit scores but that sounds like BS to me lol
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Connor O'Brien
•Filing taxes has zero direct impact on your credit score. Credit bureaus don't even look at your tax returns. However, having tax returns can be helpful documentation when applying for larger loans like mortgages later on. Lenders sometimes want to see a history of tax returns, even for years with little/no income, to verify your financial history. But that's for major loans years down the road, not your regular credit score.
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